Keep the GREEN in Green Beans!

QUIP: I appreciate fresh vegetables, especially when cooked perfectly. However, one vegetable that many people cook the color -texture and flavor - right out of, is green beans.

Fresh green beans – as their name implies – should be a beautiful green, not dull, limp and soggy!

TIP: While it’s true that cooking, freezing and canning will leech the bright green color from green beans, a short bit of cooking - blanching – will help them retain better texture, flavor and color and, the best part is, it’s easy to do!

For a pound of beans, simply bring one gallon of lightly salted water to a boil. While you are waiting, rinse and trim your beans.

Once the water is boiling, fill another large bowl, half full with ice water. Set ice water bowl near pot of boiling water. Plunge one pound of prepared green beans into the boiling water. Return water to a boil and cook beans for exactly three minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, remove beans from boiling water and drop directly into the ice water bowl. Allow beans to rest in ice bath until completely cooled. Drain, pat beans dry and prepare as directed for serving, canning or freezing.